Improvement in electro-magnetic railway-signals



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Electra-Magnetic Railway-Signal.

NO. 208,995. Patented Oct. 15, 1878.

Iz'yl.

Fig 2 WITNESSES INVENTOR ZSheets-Sheet 2.

H. W. SPA-NG. Electra-Magnetic Railway-Signal.

No. 208,995 Patented Oct. 15,1878.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY WM a UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY w. SPANG, or READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RAILWAY-SIGNALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 208,995, dated October 15, 1878; application lilod January 29, 1877.

To all whom itmay concern: Be it known that I, HENRY YV. SPANG, of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Circuits and Devices for Railway-Signal Apparatus, which are fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention is an improvement upon the electric circuits and devices shown and described in Patent N 164,227, issued to me J une 8, 1875, in which the two lines of rails of an insulated section of railroad-track are used as the principal conductors between a galvanic battery connected at one end of the section of track and an ordinary relay, which controls a secondary circuit and a visual or audible signal, or both, and devices for controlling circuit at the opposite end thereof.

It consists in the combination of a relay (one or more) whose armature-lever is moved in opposite direction by electro-magnets in separate ,or derived circuits, and which controls a secondary circuit and a visual or audible signal, or both, galvanic batteries, (one or more,) and devices for controlling circuits, with the two lines of rails of an insulated section of railroadtrack, so that the lover of said relay will be moved in opposite directions by electro-magnetism, and thereby enable signals to be given without requiring any special attention to be given to the lever of the relay when there is a variation in the strength of the rail-battery circuit caused by escape or leakage of electricity from the rails to theearth.

Figures 1 and 2 represent my invention as applied to an insulated section of one line, up

or down, of a double-track railroad; and Fig.

3, as applied to an insulated section of a singlet-rack railroad.

A, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is an insulated section of railroad-track a mile long, more or less. a a are the respective ends thereof. The rails R R of said section of track should each have metallic continuity throughout its length by having the ends of the rails jointed together by 111 etallic fish-plates, and be kept well screwed up, so as to'maintain a good and constant metallic connection between the ends of the rails. U, Figs. 1 and 2, and O C, Fig. 3, are circuitclosers, and consist of short lines of rails, R

R R R when occupied by the wheels W V andaxle or axles X of a locomotive or car. Letter S indicates that the rails hereinbefore named are separated or insulated from each other. B 13 13 B B B are galvanic batteries.

M or M, Fig. 3, is a relay, whose armaturelever d or d is moved between points f and g orf and g by means of two electro-magnets,

m m or m m", which are in separate circuits battery-current a red, or caution or dangerv semaphoric signal will be shown or a bell will not be sounded; and when said magnet is charged the red or caution or danger semaphoric signal will be removed from view, or a white or safety semaphoric signal will be shown, or a bell will be sounded, thereby indicating safety.

H or E, Fig. 3, is an ordinary relay, whose armature-lever i is moved between metallic points I and k or Z and h, by means of electro-magnet H or H and adjusting-spring 0 or 0.

The circuit-closer C or C, Fig. 3, should be about five hundred feet ahead of relay M or M and signal-operating magnet N or N and end of section of track A, so that sufficient time will be given for displaying a safety-signal to the engineer of a locomotive or train approaching end a or a of section of track A 'in direction of arrow, Fig. 3, when section of track A is clear and before said locomotive or train reaches end a or a of said section of track.

Referring to Fig. 1, when rails R R are occupied by wheels \V \V and axle or axles X of a locomotive or train moving in direction of arrow, the circuit of battery B, which is' normally closed over wire 5, magnet m, and wire 6, and draws lever (1 against point y, will be shunted by flowing over wires 7 3, rail R wheels 7 W, and axle or axles X, rail R and wire 8, and at the same time the circuit of 4, thereby charging magnet m and attracting.

lever (1 against metallic point f, thereby closing circuit of battery B? over wire 9, signaloperating magnet N, wire 10, metallic point f,

lever d, and wire 11, charging magnet N, and causing a safety-signal to be given to the engineer of the approaching; locomotive or train, as hereinbefore explained, which will be kept displayed until the locomotive or train has passed over rails R R when the current of battery B will again flow over wire 5, magnet on, and wire 6, charging magnet m and drawing lever d against point g, thereby breaking circuit of battery'B demagnetizing magnet N, and causing a caution or danger signal to be given, as hereinbefore explained, until the said locomotive or train has passed over and oft section of track A, and a following locomotive or train reaches rails R R when the circuit of battery B will again be shunted, and magnet on of relay M will again be charged by battery B, and a safety-signal given, as hereinbefore described, by the following locomotive or train.

-When rails R R of section of track A are occupied and metallically connected by the wheels and axles of a locomotive or train, the circuit of battery B is shunted by passing over wire 1, rails It, wheels and axles of said locomotive or train, rails R and wire 4, thereby preventing magnet m of relay M being charged by battery B, and a safety-signal being given, as hereinbeforedescribed.

The batteries B and B are connected, so that .the current of battery B is'neutralized by B and its current is open, except when rails R R are occupied by wheels V W and axles X of a locomotive or train and section of track A is clear. The poles of battery B or B can, however, be reversed, so that the circuit of battery B will be normally clpsed over magnet on when section of track A is clear. At the same time the current of battery B flowin g over 111 agnet m exerts a greater influence upon armature c of lever (1 than is exerted upon it by the current of battery B fiowin g over magnet m, and the armaturelever (I will, therefore, make contact with point {1 until b'attery B is shunted, when magnet on will draw lever [6 against point f, provided rails R R of section of track A are not occupied and bridged by the wheels and axles of a locomotive or train.

Instead of shunting current of battery B, it can be arranged to be broken by a circuitbreaker operated by a locomotive or train.

The battery B in Fig. 1 can be dispensed with, and magnets on and m be alternately charged by battery B when section of track A clear and unoccupied by employing an additional circuit-closer, C, and connecting magnets on m with circuit'closers O G and rails 11- R as shown in Fig. 2.

When rails R R, in Fig. 2, are occupied by wheels V V and axles X of a locomotive or train moving in direction of arrow, and section of track A is clear, the circuit of battery B will be closed over wire 1, rails R, wire 2, magnet m, wire 3, rail R wheels W W,and axles X, rail R wire 4, rails R, wire 5, thereby charging magnet m, causing lever cl to contact with metallic point f, and closing circuit of battery B charging magnet N, and causing a safety-signal to be given, as hereinbefore described; and when rails R R are occupied by first pair of wheels \V WV and axles X of said locomotive or train the circuit of batteryB will then flow principally over wire 6, magnet m wire 7 rail It", wheels W V, axles X, rail R and wire 8, and not over magnet 02:, as

hereinbefore described, owing to the resistance of magnet on being less than that of magnet m, and consequently lever cl will then be attracted by magnet m and be drawn against point g, breaking circuit of battery B thereby demagnetizin g magnet N and causing a cantion or danger signal to be given.

In order to keep lever d of relay M, Fig. 2, in the position it is placed and left by magnet m or W, and prevent it from being moved from said position by the jar of trains passing along the opposite track, when the current of battery B does not flow through magnet on or m,

it is advisable to employ a fiatspring, a, or any other suitable device to press against the top or any other suitable part of lever d. The base of relay M can, if desired, be partly inclined, so that lever (Z will fall over and lie against point by gravity when magnet m is not charged.

Referring to Fi 3, when rails R R are occupied by the wheels W W and axles X of a locomotive or train moving in direction of arrow and section of track A and rails R R are clear, the current of battery 13, flowing over wire 1, magnetJz, wire 2, rail R wheels \V V, and axle X, rail R and wire 3, charging magnet H and drawing arm ature-lever i, which is normally held against metallic point K by spring 0 against metallic point 1, thereby breaking circuit of battery B and allowing current of battery B. to flow over wire 4, metallic point 71/, and lever 'i' of relay H, wire 5, rails R wire 6, lever z, and metallic point I of relay H, wire 7 magnet on of relay M, wire 8, rails R, wires 9 10, magnet m of relay M, and wire 11, thereby charging magnet m, which, attracting armature 0, causes lever d to contact with metallic point f, closing circuit of battery B, charging magnet N, and causing a safety-signal'to be given, as hereinbefore described. Should rails R R of section of t ack A be occupied by a locomotive or train, the circuit of battery B would be shunted; or should rails 1% R be occupied, the circuit of battery B will be opened, and magnet m of relay M cannot be charged, and a safety-signal will be prevented being given as herein before described.

\Vhen rails B It, Fig. 3, are occupied by the wheels W" \V and axles X of a locomo- 9, magnet m of relay M ,wire 18, point Z, and

lever t of relay H, wire 5, rails It, wire 6, lever 1', and point K of relay H, and wire 15, thereby charging magnet m which, attracting armature 6, causes lever d to contact with point 9, closing circuit of battery B charging magnet N, and causing a safety-signal to be given, as hereinbefore described. Should rails R R of section of track A or rails R R be occupied by a locomotive or train, the magnet m cannot be charged by battery B and a safety-signal cannot be given; Magnets m and m are normally charged, and, in order to charge magnetm by battery B and magnet on. by battery B when a rail in section of track A is removed or broken during dry weather, it is necessary to connect rheostats U and U of high resistance with wires 6 and 8- and with wires 5 and 9 by wires 25, 26, 27, and 28, as shown.

In Patent No. 164,227 an ordinary relay is employed, which controls a secondary circuit or circuits, and a visual or audible signal, or both, in combination withthe two lines of rails of a long insulated section of railroad-track, having a galvanic battery connected therewith at the opposite end of the section of track, whose lever depends for its 'movement in one direction upon an electro-magnet, and in the opposite direction upon an adjustingspring. When. there is a great change in the strength of the battery-current, caused by leakage or escape of the current of said battery from the rails to the earth during the different changes of weather, the spring attached to the lever of said ordinary relay requires readj ustment to suit the change in the strength of said current, and if it is not kept properly adjusted the said lever will fail to work properly.

By employing the relay M or M, whose lever is moved in opposite directions by alternately charging magnets m and W, or m and m", m separate or derived circuits, in combinatlon with section of track A, having battery B or B connected therewith at the opposite end thereof, the said lever will work properly during the different changes of weather, and without requiring any readjustment or attention; and while I have shown two methods of employing relay M, in combination with section A of one line of a double-track railroad and battery B, and one method of employing relays M and M with section A of a doubletrack railroad and batteries B and B nevertheless I do not propose to confine myself to the specific methods shown and described, for,

instead of the methods and devices shown and described for controlling the circuits of which magnets m and m, or m and m form a part, various other devices and arrangement of wires, 850., can be employed.

The magnet on of relay M, Fig. 1, can be connected direct with rails It It of section of track A and battery B, with a circuit-closer or devices for closing circuit similar to those shown in Figs. 9,10, 11, and 12 of Patent No.

164,227, so that the circuit of battery B will be.

left open at end a, except when the said circuit is closed by an approaching locomotive or train, and thereby prevent the current of battery B becoming weak during wet or damp weather.

A rheostat of low resistance can be placed in the circuits shown in Figs. 1 and 2, between rail R and battery B, which will prevent the rapid weakening of battery B during wet and dam p weather.

The secondary battery B and signal-operating magnet N, Figs. 1 and 2, or secondary batteries B B and signal-operatin g magnets N and N, Fig. 3, could be dispensed with, and the movements of a visual or audible signal, or both, be controlled by lever d or d of magnet M or M through suitable intervening mechanism.

Having now explained my invention, I claim 1. The combination of relay M, having elec tro-magnets m and m in separate circuits, and the armature-lever d of which is moved in opposite directions by electro-magnetism, and controls a secondary circuit and a visual or audible signal, or both, and devices for controlling said circuits at one end of an insulated section'of railway-track, A, withthe rails of said section of track and battery B, which is connected with said rails at the opposite end of said section of track, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Relay M, battery B wires 9 10 11, sig nal-operating magnet N, wires 5 6, battery B, wires 2 3 7 S, circuit-closer O, in combination with rails R R of insulated section of track A, wires 1 4, and battery B, as set forth.

3. The combination of rails R R of insulated section of railroad-track A, having a galvanic battery, B, and relay M, with magnets m and m in' separate circuits, and whose armature-lever (1 controls a visual or audible signal, or both, connected therewith at one end, a, of said section of track and galvanic battery B, and relayM, with magnets m and m, in separate circuits, and whose armature-lever d controls a visual c audible signal, or both, connected therewith at the opposite end, a, of

said insulated section of track, in combination A with a circuit closer and breaker, or devices for closing and breaking circuit at each end a and a of said insulated section of track, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. Rails R R of insulated section of track A, galvanic battery B, relay M, wires 6 7 S 15 16 17, battery 13", wires 12 13 14, signal- I 5. Itheostat U, in combination with battery operating magnet N, battery B, relay M, B and magnet m, substantially as described, wires 4 5 9 10 11 18, battery B wires 22 23 24, and for the purpose set forth. signal-operating magnet N, with relay H, bat- HENRY TV. SPANG'.

tery 13 wires 1 2 3, circuit-closer (J, and re Vitoesses: lay 1:1, battery B wires 19 20 21, cireuitlsAAo Y. SPANG, z eloser (.l, substantially as described. DANIEL SPANG. R 

